NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS

COMMISSION
[A-] | [A+]

The National Human Rights Commission is a statutory body in India which came into existence
through the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and came into force in 1994.
The protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 provides for setting up the National Human Rights
Commission at the center as well as one commission each at the state level.

COMPOSITION OF NHRC
National Human Rights Commission consists of a chairman and four members, all of them being
full-time members.
Apart from there full-time members, the commission also has its deemed members as the
chairpersons of the National Commission for minorities, the National Commission for SCs and STs
and the National Commission for women.
The multi-membership is intended to rainforce the independence and impartiality of the commission
of the five members including the chairperson, three are to possess high-level judicial background
and the remaining must have knowledge of or practical experience in matters relating to Human
Rights.
The Chairman of NHRC must be a former Chief Justice of India

Chairperson - Honble Chief Justice Altmas Kabir

Members - Honble Dr. Justice Babulal Chandulal (B.C.) Patel, Honble Justice Satyabrata Pal, two
positions vacant.Ex-officio-Members - Chairman, National Minorities Commission Chairman,
National Commission for Women, Chairman, National Commission for SCs & STs.
The National Human Rights Commission is designed to protect human rights, defined as rights
relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the constitution or
embodied in the International Covenant and which are enforceable by the Courts in India.

Functioning of NHRC

NHRC can intervene in any legal proceedings involving an allegation of violation of Human
Rights.

It can visit, with the prior approval of the State Government, any jail to study the living conditions
of

the inmates and make recommendations.

It can review the safeguards provided by or under the constitution or any law for the protection of

Human Rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.

The Commission also reviews the factors including acts of terrorism, that inhibit the enjoyment of
Human

Rights and recommends remedial measures.

NHRC also undertakes and promotes research in the field of Human Rights.

If encourages the NGOs working in the field of Human Rights.

Autonomy of the NHRC

Appointment of its numbers for fixed tenure.

The Chairperson and the members is of the commission are appointed by the president on the
bass of recommendations of a committee comprising the Prime Minister as the Chairperson, the
Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Home Minister, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha and the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha as members.